A Russian Su-27 fighter plane collided with a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, a U.S. defense official told Fox News.
The jet in question was one of two Su-27s flying in tandem when the collision occurred in international airspace over international waters. The drone’s propeller was damaged, forcing the unmanned aerial vehicle to ditch in the Black Sea, west of Crimea, the U.S. defense official told Fox News.
The State Department is summoning Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov to express its “strong objections” to the intercept, spokesman Ned Price confirmed to reporters.
MQ-9 Reaper (Isaac Brekken / Getty Images / File)
The Su-27 was headed toward Crimea and landed there after this incident, the official added. It is unknown if there was any damage to the Su-27.
U.S. European Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) issued a statement on the incident in which they reported the events leading up to the collision and admonished the Russian military for “a pattern of dangerous actions” in international airspace.
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The statement reads, “At approximately 7:03 AM (CET), one of the Russian Su-27 aircraft struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters. Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner. This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.”
Sukhoi Su-27 (Reuters / File)
“This incident follows a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace, including over the Black Sea. These aggressive actions by Russian aircrew are dangerous and could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation,” the statement warned.
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Airman 1st Class Andrew Frano walks past a MQ-9 Reaper at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, on Dec. 19, 2016. (U.S. Air Force / J.M. Eddins Jr.)
“Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9,” said Gen. James B. Hecker, commander, USAFE-AFAFRICA. “In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash.”
“U.S. and Allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace, and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely,” Hecker continued.
A top Biden national security official told reporters Tuesday that there have been “other intercepts” by Russian aircraft of U.S. aircraft in recent weeks.
“It is not uncommon for there to be intercepts by Russian aircraft of U.S. aircraft over the Black Sea, and so this is not an uncommon occurrence. And there have been even in just in recent weeks, there have been other intercepts,” John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, told reporters. “But this one obviously is noteworthy because of how unsafe and unprofessional [it] was, indeed reckless that it was, and causing the downing of one of our aircraft. So, it’s unique in that regard.”
Kirby said the MQ-9 Reaper drone “posed a threat to nobody.”
